


Proper Introductions

by Engie_Ivy



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Crush at First Sight, Getting Together, Halloween, M/M, Meet-Cute, Sirius Black Fest, Sirius Black Fest 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:28:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27213442
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Engie_Ivy/pseuds/Engie_Ivy
Summary: When Remus befriends his colleague Lily and her husband James, he gains an entire friend group. The only member he hasn’t met yet, is James’s best friend from school: the beloved, handsome and charming Sirius Black.Feeling quite intimidated by the stories, Remus wasn’t expecting to have such an amazing chemistry with Sirius Black upon finally meeting him at the Potters’ annual Halloween party. Through meetings, misunderstandings and miscommunications, Remus learns the value of properly introducing yourself when meeting the man of your dreams.
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Comments: 22
Kudos: 212
Collections: Sirius Black Fest 2020





	Proper Introductions

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Halloween party meet-cute. Sirius finds the Remus, the cutie dressed as werewolf, irresistible.

"It wasn’t a question."

Remus puts down his cup of apple cinnamon tea. It’s a stormy autumn day, and he’s visiting his colleague and friend Lily. "Excuse me?"

"I said ‘you’re coming to our annual Halloween party’," Lily clarifies. "No question mark. Point. You’re coming. I can’t drag you out of your house to finally go on a date for once-"

"Not that you haven’t tried."

"Not that I haven’t tried," Lily agrees. "But I can make you come to our party."

Remus chuckles. He’s not used to this. He’s not used to not only being invited, but actually _wanted_ at a party. He’s quite an introverted person and has lived in comfortable solitude for most of his life. But then he started his new job as a journalist for a local paper, and he met Lily Evans, one of the junior editors. They instantly connected. After going on lunch breaks together, sharing coffee breaks (or in their case tea breaks), and the occasional after work-drinks, Lily had invited him over for dinner with her and her husband, James. Remus had been terribly nervous, never having been one for making small talk. He really didn’t want to embarrass himself with his awkwardness in front of Lily’s husband, and have her think less of him. However, all nerves and awkwardness dissipated the moment he met James. James was genuinely friendly and possessed such an unrestrained cheerfulness, it was incredibly disarming. Remus never felt comfortable with people he didn’t know all that well, but with James it was as if they had known each other much longer. From that moment on, Lily and James had dragged Remus into their lives, and into their very elaborate social circle. Remus found himself suddenly invited to all sort of events and surrounded by people who seemed genuinely pleased with his presence.

"Don’t worry, Lils," Remus says. "I just-" He’s interrupted by Lily’s phone beeping loudly. "What’s going on with your phone?"

"Ah, I’m sorry." Lily taps frustrated on her phone screen. "They’ve been bombarding me with questions. I only told Emmeline, who apparently told Fabian, and then Mary found out, and you can be sure that when Mary knows something it’s only a matter of time until _everyone_ knows, and now they’re all freaking out..."

"Know what, Lily?"

Lily looks up from her phone. "Sirius Black is coming to the Halloween party."

Remus feigns a gasp. " _The_ Sirius Black?"

James comes from a rich family, and has spent his school years in some posh, British boarding school. While he was liked by everyone, there was no question who his best friend was. He and Sirius Black had formed an unbreakable friendship before they had even set foot in their dorm, and they remained inseparable for all seven years after. They were close like brothers, never one without the other, and the notorious troublemakers of the school.

After finishing school, James went to university, got a steady job, bought a house and married an amazing woman. Sirius Black, however, preferred a more unpredictable style of living. He started travelling all over the world as a freelance photographer, very talented according to Lily, with his photos being featured in prestigious magazines all over the world. James remained close friends with him, texting all the time and calling every day, as long as Sirius had a decent phone connection, but it’s nothing like being together all the time, and James terribly misses just having his friend around.

"He arrives the day of the party, and he actually has an exhibition in London on November, so he’ll stay for at least a month," Lily says.

"James must be excited?"

Lily smiles fondly. "He hardly talks about anything else." Lily’s phone beeps again and Lily sighs. "But apparently so does everyone else."

Remus only knows Sirius Black from the numerous stories he has heard, but whenever the name Sirius Black is mentioned, it’s followed by loud giggling from Mary and Emmeline, wistful sighs from Benjy, and the exchange of meaningful looks by Fabian and Caradoc. They always enquire after Sirius Black, ask James how he’s doing, whether he’s going to be in town soon, and if he happened to have mentioned any of them.

At school, Sirius was always very good looking and very popular, and, according to Lily, he still possesses his rather good looks and charms that attract many admirers. Remus suspects they’re also attracted to an idealised idea of him: a young, good looking guy who lives an adventurous life by travelling to the most beautiful places in the world to take photos. That’s easy to romanticise.

And now Remus would finally meet him. To be honest, he was quite intimidated by the picture of Sirius Black he had created in his mind. Extraverted, popular, confident, rebellious. He sounded like the guys that used to lock Remus in the bathroom at school. But Lily assured him that Sirius Black is a great guy, with a kind heart. He’s always caring towards Lily, and the most loyal friend to James. He’d do literally anything for James. James claimed that Sirius would jump in the Thames for him if he asked, but Lily whispered that Sirius had actually jumped in the Thames on a dare, on multiple occasions, so that really wasn’t saying much.

All Remus knows for sure, is that Sirius Black is truly something.

Remus arrives at the Potters’ on the evening of Halloween as promised. He decided to dress as a werewolf, wearing a big coat decorated with patches of fur and a tail attached, complete with wolf ears in his hair.

The path up to the front door is lined by rows of carved pumpkins on both sides with flickering candles. Remus walks through the door and inside, people bustling around. The room is lit by large candles placed on old-fashioned candlestands at various locations. Spider webs are draped across the candlestands and hang from the walls. Bats hang from the ceiling and skeletons are lurking in the corners. Fake blood is splattered across the floor. At the side of the room, a large table stands containing various foods and drinks: red-coloured punch, with instead of fruit, small eyeballs floating around in the large bowl, soda with ice cubes containing small spiders, cupcakes shaped like small pumpkins, devilled eggs that look like eyes, a cheese platter on which the cheeses are shaped like coffins and gravestones.

In the right corner of the room, are large group of people is huddled together and a tall man is standing in their midst. Mary is giggling louder than Remus has ever heard before, and that’s saying something, Emmeline is twirling her hair around her finger so fast that Remus worries she’s going to cut off the circulation, and Benjy keeps running his hand through his hair in a way that reminds Remus strongly of James when he wants to impress Lily, even though he has already married her. The man in the middle has his back towards Remus, and with so many people surrounding him, Remus can’t get a proper view.

"Ah, yes, some things never change."

Remus turns his head to find Peter standing next to him, dressed as a scare crow in blue dungarees and an old skimmer. Peter is an old school mate of James and Sirius Black. Remus gets along with him splendidly. He might be a bit too gullible at times, but he’s kind, keen and has a dry sense of humour.

Peter’s gaze is focussed on the group Remus was just looking at. "If you want to know where Sirius is, just follow the group of raving fans."

"Reminds you of your school years?" Remus asks.

Peter chuckles. "As if no time has passed." His eyes flicker to the floating eye-punch with suspicion. "I think I’m going to get a beer from the fridge. Can I get you one?"

"Thanks, mate, but I’m good."

Remus contemplates taking some of the punch while Peter walks to the kitchen, but all thoughts disappear from his mind when he turns his attention back to the group, and suddenly has a very clear view of the only member of Lily and James’s friend group he hasn’t met yet: Sirius Black.

Lily lied to him, that Remus knows for sure. You can’t describe Sirius Black by saying he’s rather good-looking. That’s like describing Michelangelo by saying he’s a rather good artist. Sirius Black is absolutely gorgeous. He’s dressed as a... dog? He’s wearing tight fitted black jeans and a tight fitted black T-shirt, showing off his long, slender yet muscular body. He’s wearing dog ears in his long, dark hair which elegantly frames his face, with perfect facial features that are somehow delicate and manly at the same time. The man is even wearing a collar around his long neck. His eyes are a soft grey, with an animated sparkle and just a hint of mischief in them. It’s not just his looks, however. Even if Lily had tried to describe the appeal of Sirius Black, she wouldn’t have been able to. There’s something about him Remus just can’t put into words. A charm and charisma that draws people in, like moths to a flame. He’s radiating an eagerness and liveliness, which he seems to emit to all who surround him. Remus never understood the expression ‘someone who can light up a room’, but seeing Sirius Black there, it suddenly makes perfect sense.

That’s when Sirius Black’s bright, grey eyes meets Remus’s soft hazel ones, and the world stops. Remus feels something constrict in his chest and his breath hitches. He can’t look away, and Sirius Black doesn’t look away either. They look at each other from across the room for much longer than would be considered normal for two strangers to stare at each other, if there even is an appropriate amount of time for which strangers are allowed to stare at each other.

"You’re here!"

The moment is broken by Lily running up to him, Peter on her tail. She’s dressed as a witch, wearing a ragged black dress with spider webs and spiders hanging from the fabric, her hair in a messy bun on top of her head. She presses a glass filled with something orange in Remus’s hand.

"Taste this! My homemade Halloween drink! I call it Pumpkin Juice."

Remus takes a sip. It’s disgustingly sweet. He loves it. He’s about to say so, when Lily suddenly shouts across the room.

"Black! I told you to dress as something scary! Why are you a puppy dog?"

Sirius Black lets out a contagious, barking laugh and walks up to Lily. "But Lilyflower, I’m a not a puppy, I’m a hellhound!"

"You’re wearing a collar," Peter states.

"So?"

"Hellhounds don’t wear collars!"

Sirius Black slings his arm around Peter. "Why Pete, how would you know? Have you ever seen a hellhound?"

Lily rolls her eyes. "Anyway, James is making his infamous finger-shaped shortbread cookies, and I was trying to prevent him from burning down the kitchen, but he ushered me out and told me to send you, as ‘I don’t understand his process like you do’," she says, making air quotes at the last part.

"Don’t take it personal, Lils," Sirius Black grins, before turning to walk to the kitchen.

Mary unashamedly checks him out while he walks away and sighs. "If that’s what hellhounds look like, sign me up for hell."

Marlene, who has just joined the group with her girlfriend Dorcas, both dressed as sexy zombie brides, pats her on the shoulder. "I’m pretty sure there’s already a place reserved for you."

Later that evening, Remus is sitting outside on the Potters’ porch. Being surrounded by people, chattering and music all night, he needs some fresh air. Not that the evening hasn’t been lovely. The drinks are great, the food is great and the company is great. He has mostly been talking to Lily, Peter, Marlene and Dorcas, stealing glances at Sirius Black whenever he could. He hasn’t had a chance to talk to Sirius Black, though. Sirius Black has been standing with James, animatedly talking and laughing the whole time. As Sirius Black has only gotten back in England that day, Remus can imagine that the two friends have much to catch up on. It’s great to see James so happy and enthusiastic as he is when talking to Sirius Black.

"Hello new guy no one has introduced me to yet."

Remus whirls his head around at hearing the friendly voice. He sees Sirius Black standing next to him on the porch, looking at him with a lopsided smile, hair falling to the side and eyes gleaming in a colour that puts the moonlight to shame.

Remus had been afraid he wouldn’t be able to speak a word when actually being so directly confronted with Sirius Black, but while he feels a nervous flutter in his stomach and his cheeks slightly heat up, there’s something about Sirius Black that makes him feel at ease and comfortable enough to just be himself.

"Hello puppy dog guy."

Sirius Black gasps. "Not you too! You don’t get to tease me. Not when you’re a cute little puppy dog yourself!"

"Excuse me, I’m a werewolf!" Remus says indignant, ignoring the way his cheeks heat up even more hearing Sirius Black refer to him as _cute_.

Sirius looks up at the sky. "Not possible. No full moon."

"Are you saying," Remus replies, pretending to be shocked. "That I could’ve saved myself the trouble of dressing up and just could’ve come in my regular clothes, saying I’m a werewolf, but there’s no full moon?"

"Don’t worry," Sirius grins. "I’d say it’s definitely worth the effort with how adorable you’re looking." He sits down next to Remus, who hopes this will prevent him from seeing how bright red he has become. "So," Sirius continues in a teasing tone. "Anything else I should know about you besides that you’re lazy when it comes to dressing up?"

"Nope," Remus says. "I think that about sums it up."

Sirius chuckles. "I find that hard to believe. You must do something for a living?"

"Ah, I work with Lily," Remus says. "Well, for the same paper. I’m a journalist?"

"Really?" Sirius’s interest seems genuine. "What kind of stories do you write?"

Remus shrugs. "Just local stuff. I like to write about small injustices. A girl who wasn’t allowed to join the local football club, because the coach didn’t want a girl in the team, a woman who was fired when she refused to wear high heels when her boss wanted her to, an older man whose health insurance refuses to cover his medical costs. Just little things. I mean, I know your photos have been published in National Geographic and Time Magazine..."

"It’s not little when you make a difference for people," Sirius argues.

"I’m not really making a difference, I’m just writing..."

"Listening and allowing people to tell their story makes all the difference in the world! Change starts with creating awareness. Isn’t that why independent journalism is one of the corner stones of each constitutional state?"

"I guess you’re right," Remus smiles, feeling happy with the honest appreciation of his work. "So, is there anything I should know about you, besides that you’re a posh British boarding school boy?"

Sirius looks at him with a horrified expression. "Please don’t tell me I’m giving off a posh boarding school vibe!"

"Not at all, not at all," Remus says, laughing. "It actually makes me wonder how you ended up there in the first place?"

Sirius sighs as he stares out into the garden. "Believe it or not, but I come from the posh boarding school-type of family. Sending me there has been one of the better things they’ve ever done for me, though, considering it’s where I met James." He looks back at Remus with a grin. "You must think me terribly ungrateful for all the expensive education I have received, and then to squander it by choosing an unstable career as freelance photographer."

Remus shakes his head. "I thought no such thing. You’re an intelligent person, and you seem perfectly capable of making your own decisions about what you want to do with your life. It’s really not up to me to judge while barely knowing you."

"I wish more people thought like you." Sirius’s voice is soft, and he’s looking at Remus with something in his gaze that makes Remus’s blush return.

"I take it your posh boarding school-family wasn’t too keen about your career choice?"

Sirius looks away again. "I wouldn’t know. I haven’t spoken to them since I was sixteen and ran away from home."

"I’m so sorry," Remus says. "I shouldn’t have-"

"It’s fine," Sirius interrupts. "I don’t miss them. There’s nothing to miss." Then a smile appears on his lips again. "So now I’ve told you mine, what’s your tragic background story?"

Remus huffs a laugh. "Nothing that would inspire any novels, I’m afraid. I lived off in the countryside with both my parents, and it was actually a pretty great place to grow up. The only thing I can think of is that my childhood was kind of lonely. I really longed for a group of friends to have adventures with, but I just never connected to the children at my school. They all seemed to think I was weird."

"I wish you would’ve gone to school with us! Jamie, Pete and I would’ve dragged you into all the adventures you would’ve wanted, and probably also quite a few you wouldn’t want."

Remus shakes his head. "I was the type of kid who always did his homework on time, asked for extra assignments and read his school books for fun. You and James would’ve hated me!"

"Nah, we wouldn’t have." Sirius is looking at him intently. "There’s something wicked in you, I can tell."

Remus feels his heartbeat speed up under the intensity of Sirius’s gaze, but doesn’t look away. "You don’t even know me."

Sirius shrugs. "You don’t know me either, and yet you said I’m intelligent."

"So?"

Sirius averts his gaze and looks up to the night sky. "That’s not what most people say. Pretty face, attention seeker, troublemaker, spoiled brat too conceited to get a normal job and probably owns all his success to mummy and daddy, sure. But they usually don’t think I have much substance."

Remus looks at Sirius’s bright eyes quickly scanning the night sky as if checking off the constellations. "You’re clever," he concludes, stating it as a fact.

Sirius looks back at him and smiles that smile Remus already can’t get enough off. "Then I guess we both see things in each other that other people don’t."

When later that evening Sirius announces that he really must get going if he wants to leave before Lily asks him to help clean up, Remus walks with him to the front of the house. Sirius picks up a helmet and straddles a motorbike, and could he get any hotter?

"Well, I heard you’re staying for some weeks." Remus suddenly feels nervous. "So hopefully I’ll be seeing you around? I mean, I really enjoyed talking to you tonight."

Sirius just looks at him with an unreadable expression.

"Well, have a safe drive!" Remus turns around to walk away before he makes a fool of himself, but Sirius suddenly grabs his hand.

"Wait!"

Remus turns back to him.

"What’s your name?" Sirius asks.

Remus’s brain now has to perform several tasks at once, but isn’t functioning on the level it’s supposed to function. First, he has to comprehend that Sirius Black is touching him. Not just touching him, holding his hand. Then, seeing as Sirius is looking at him expectantly, it has to sink in that he has asked him a question. What was the question again? Right, his name. Wait, he didn’t tell Sirius his name yet? How did that happen? Just as his brain begins to work on his final task, formulating his own name, Sirius takes his long silence the wrong way and starts to feel embarrassed. He flushes and drops Remus’s hand.

"I’m sorry. If you don’t-"

"No," Remus interjects. "I’m sorry, I just didn’t realise... I mean, I’m... Remus Lupin. My name is Remus Lupin."

Sirius just looks at him for a while longer. He doesn’t respond, but his eyes suddenly seem slightly colder and his mouth as become a thin line.

"Right," he says after a while. "I’ll leave you to it, then." And with only those parting words, he puts on his helmet and drives off.

Remus can’t deny feeling a great disappointment as he watches him leave. He had hoped... He’s not sure what he had hoped. A kiss was more fantasy than hope, but maybe a suggestion to see each other again? An exchange of phone numbers? Even a casual remark that he had liked meeting Remus would’ve been enough.

Feeling slightly foolish for thinking that someone like Sirius Black would even think twice about someone like him, Remus goes home.

A couple of days later, Remus is taking his lunch break together with Lily. They’re having tea while waiting for their orders to arrive. Remus sips his cardamon and cloves tea while looking weary at the rain and wind outside.

"Oh!" Lily says suddenly, putting down her lemon and ginger tea. "I haven’t told you the biggest news from the Halloween party yet!"

"Bigger than Gideon drunkenly trying to fit his head in a pumpkin?" Remus asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Bigger than that! Well, at least more important than that," Lily says, grimacing at the memory. "Sirius Black has met someone!"

"Oh?" Remus tries to sound casual, while staring down at his tea. Luckily, Lily doesn’t seem to notice anything strange in his response.

"Yes! He got to talking to some guy, and was apparently instantly smitten!" When Remus doesn’t reply, Lily continues talking. "You don’t understand how big this is. Sirius has never shown any interest in relationships, romance or any of that. He’s done some casual dating, sure, but never has he expressed having any real feelings. I’m by no means saying he’s a saint. Who knows what he gets up to during his travels? But it’s very unlike him to be so swept off his feet by some guy he just met at a party."

"Well, good for him, right?" Remus hopes he doesn’t sound to bitter.

Lily sighs. "Unfortunately not. Apparently, the guy rudely turned him down. Sirius is pretty affected by it. He won't even tell us who it was."

That surprises Remus. He hadn’t thought anyone would be capable of turning down Sirius Black. But it does explain a lot, actually. Sirius had come outside to talk to him looking for a distraction, as he had just been rejected, and that’s all it was to him. When saying goodbye, Sirius must have realised Remus was hoping for more than he himself wanted, which was probably the story of Sirius’s bloody life. He had immediately become more distant the moment he noticed Remus’s foolish hope.

Their food arrives, but Remus is not in the least bit hungry.

Remus contemplates making up an excuse and not going when he gets invited for a small dinner party at the Potters’ house, just Lily and James, Dorcas and Marlene, Peter, Sirius and himself. Just the idea of how ridiculous it is to decline the invitation because a person he had just one conversation with was rather abrupt when saying goodbye.

So Remus attends, and at first, he’s glad he did, seeing Lily’s radiant smile as she drags him into the room.

"There you are! I’m so glad you could make it! I tried out a new recipe for dessert, and I need your opinion as my fellow sweet tooth."

Remus laughs. "If it contains chocolate, I’d be your guinea pig any time."

"My chocolate-addicted guinea pig has arrived!" Lily announces, and the other guest happily greet Remus. Sirius just nods before quickly looking away again.

Remus tries to enjoy himself, he really does. Everyone is kind, conversation flows easily, even with Remus being very quiet, and having not only James, but James and Sirius together tell the anecdotes of all the mischief they got up to at school is highly entertaining. However, Sirius doesn’t directly address Remus apart from the absolute necessities, and he doesn’t look at Remus even once all through dinner. Remus understands that they hardly know each other, and he hadn’t expected Sirius to suddenly treat him as a close friend, but he doesn’t get why Sirius would act like the honest and personal conversation they had outside on the porch at the Halloween party never happened.

Needless to say, Remus feels worse and worse as the evening progresses.

Dessert is a fantastic, gooey chocolate cake with warm spices added to the batter, and he really tries to convince Lily he loves it, despite his lack of appetite. As soon as dessert is finished, however, he wants nothing more than to go home and he makes his excuses to Lily and James, thanking them elaborately for their kind hospitality and the amazing dinner, but saying he’s very tired and really should be going.

Lily hugs him before he leaves. "Are you sure you’re okay? You’ve been rather quiet this evening."

"I’m fine, Lily. No need to mother over me."

Lily laughs. "As long as you know I’m never going to stop mothering over you, Remus Lupin!"

Remus manages a smile and turns to the others to say goodbye, feeling a shock go through him, as Sirius is looking right at him with wide eyes, for the first time that evening. Remus flushes, and hates how it affects him. He can’t get out of there fast enough.

It’s a cool evening, and Remus walks down the street with his chin tucked in his scarf and his hands in the pockets of his woollen coat.

"Hey! Wait! Please, wait up!"

Surprised, Remus turns around to see Sirius hurry over to him, wearing only a t-shirt despite the cold.

He stops in front of him, panting from the exertion. "You’re Remus Lupin?"

This was definitely not what Remus had expected. "I think I’m gonna take back that clever-comment."

Sirius shakes his head, catching his breath. "I mean, is your name Remus Lupin?"

"Are you kidding me?" Remus asks, feeling anger well up. "Listen, I know we only had one conversation, but I don’t get why you have to act like you don’t know me at all! Even if you only came to talk to me in the first place to distract yourself, because some guy just rudely rejected you, and I can imagine you’re not used to that-"

"You’re the guy!" Sirius interrupts. "You’re the guy who rudely rejected me."

"What?" Remus asks dumbfounded. "I never..."

Sirius runs a hand through his hair, looking thoroughly embarrassed. "I thought you had given me a fake name."

"A fake..." Remus sputters, indignant.

"Well, what was I supposed to think?" Sirius says defensively. "You were dressed as a bloody werewolf and said your name was bloody Remus Lupin!"

Remus just stares at him.

Sirius awkwardly rubs his neck. "And it took you like five minutes to answer when I asked..."

Remus stares some more, and then he starts to laugh.

"Oh my god, that’s... I didn’t even realise! And to think... Oh my god."

Remus is practically wheezing now, doubled over with tears rolling down his cheeks.

"And I was quiet for so long before giving my name! Of course you would think... I would’ve thought the exact same!"

Sirius looks at him first with embarrassment, then slight amusement, and eventually, looking at Remus and his uninhibited laughter, he can’t help but join in.

"I really liked you so much," he laughs. "I’ve never felt such an instant... attraction to anyone before. I was sure I was being completely obvious, and coming on way too strong, and made you feel like you had to give a fake name to deter me. And when you eventually came up with _Remus Lupin_ , which basically means Wolfboy McWolf, I just thought ‘wow, he’s not even trying to be subtle about it’. And I can take a hint, so I decided to make it evidently clear that I understood and won’t bother you anymore."

Remus shakes his head while wiping away the tears. "No hint," he says, voice still slightly shaking with laughter. "Just my actual name. If I had given you a hint, it wouldn’t have been to stop bothering me."

"Oh?" Sirius raises an eyebrow, embarrassment gone and confidence back in place. "And what kind of hint would it have been?"

Remus flushes, but bravely meets Sirius’s gaze. "To ask for my phone number? Or to ask me out?"

Sirius’s face lights up in one of the brightest smiles Remus has ever seen. "I think I can do both!"

_3 weeks later_

"James is awfully chipper today," Remus states, while he sits on the couch in the Potters’ living room with Lily, waiting for his caramelised pear tea to have sufficiently cooled down.

Lily glances over her shoulder at James, who’s in the kitchen baking a cake while happily whistling, sometimes even singing.

"I haven’t told you the news yet," Lily says, turning back to Remus. "Sirius Black is dating someone!"

"Is he now?" Remus asks, while smiling against his mug as he takes his first sip of tea.

"Yes!" Lily exclaims. "Multiple dates! With the same person! I mean, of course it’s only been a couple of weeks, but still."

"And James is really just happy for Sirius?"

"Well, yes," Lily replies. "But it’s also slightly more selfish than that. You see, Sirius is dating someone from _around here_."

Remus looks at her questioningly.

"Which means that if he finally settles down," Lily says slowly. "He’ll settle down here! He won’t be half way around the world all the time anymore." Lily laughs and shakes her head. "Of course, we’re getting way ahead of ourselves. You must think we’re absolutely crazy thinking of such things after only a couple of weeks of dating!"

"Would Sirius ever do that, though?" Remus asks, looking down at his tea and tracing the rim of his mug with his finger. "Give up on his adventurous lifestyle and stay in one place for a guy?"

"Yes," Lily immediately says, and Remus looks up surprised. "Sirius goes from place to place not because he wants to leave, but because he’s looking for a reason to stay, if that makes sense. If he finds that reason, if he can fill that void, I think it would make him... happier."

Remus just nods, going over what he knows of Sirius and understanding what Lily means.

Lily laughs again. "But just listen to me talk! Way too much, way too soon. God, when James and I meet the poor guy we should really keep these thoughts and hopes to ourselves. He’ll run away screaming."

Lily glances back at James again, leans a bit forward and lowers her voice. "But you know what else?"

Remus strongly feels like he really shouldn’t be hearing this, but he can’t think of anything to do besides quietly shake his head.

"James was talking to Sirius last night," Lily says. "And Sirius told him that he thinks this guy could be it. The real thing. The endgame."

Remus can barely breath through the sudden lump in his throat and the tight feeling in his chest. "He... he said that?"

"Yes," Lily says, as she sits up again. "And I know what you’re thinking. How can he possibly say that after such a short time? Isn’t he moving way too fast? But Remus, if you could just see him! I’ve never seen him like this. The look on his face even when he just talks about this guy..."

A warm feeling spreads through Remus’s chest and a stupid smile appears on his face, that’s still there when a moment later the backdoor opens. He watches as Sirius, looking beautiful as ever with his hair tied up in a bun with loose strands here and there due to the stormy weather outside, wearing winter boots, tight jeans and a cosy yet classy sweater, gives James a firm hug and walks over to Lily to kiss her on the cheek.

"Speak of the devil," Lily smiles. "Do you remember my colleague, but mostly good friend, Remus Lupin?"

Sirius sits down on the couch next to Remus, closer than what would be considered polite for two people who supposedly only briefly interacted with each other on two occasions. Sirius smiles that smile Remus has already grown to love. "That name does sound familiar."

Remus can’t help himself. He reaches out and brushes a strand of hair behind Sirius’s ear, places his hand in his neck and leans forward to kiss him. He feels Sirius smile against his lips.

When they part, they see James, wearing an apron and carrying a mixing bowl under his arm, staring at them in absolute delight, and Lily punching James’s arm in shocked amazement. "It’s him! He’s dating him! They’re dating each other! How did we miss this? They’re perfect for each other! How could we not think of that?"

James rubs his arm. "We didn’t have to think of it, now did we? They found each other perfectly fine without our help!"

Remus turns back to Sirius, who smiles brightly at him with that amused sparkle in his eyes. "Yes," Remus says softly. "We found each other."


End file.
